No case of coronavirus reported in province yet

Govt on high alert following deadly outbreak in Iran, Afghanistan

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has said that no case of coronavirus has been reported in the province and steps are in place to counter the threat of the deadly disease.

“The government is on high alert following the cases of coronavirus in Iran, Afghanistan, Karachi and Islamabad, while emergency has been declared in all departments in view of the existing situation,” provincial finance minister Zahoor Buledi said while addressing a press conference in Quetta.

He was accompanied by Home Minister Mir Zia Langove, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Imran Zarkoon and provincial government spokesperson Mir Liaquat Shahwani.

The minister said the health department had carried out screening of 700 pilgrims who recently returned from Iran, while 7,664 pilgrims had travelled to Iran during the last month of whom 2,127 hailed from Balochistan.

He noted the government had decided to bring back Pakistani pilgrims stranded in Iran in groups comprising 1000 people each, carry out their screening and keep them at Pakistan House for 15 days to conduct a thorough check up.

“Five crossing points along with Iran and Afghanistan have been sealed,” he said.

“We are fully prepared to handle any emergency-like situation but media, civil society and all parties should show unity against the epidemic and people should be kept aware of the precautionary measures [against the disease],” he added.

He urged the people to keep calm and not create panic as the virus was curable and observed that the provincial government would kick-off a campaign on the use of surgical masks across the province soon.

Buledi asked the opposition to join hands with the provincial authorities against the virus threat and refrain from point-scoring.

“Instead of setting political shows, all parties should express unity against coronavirus,” Buledi said.

Provincial Minister for Home Mir Zia Langove criticized the members of opposition for staging a walk out from the Balochistan Assembly when the debate on coronavirus started.

He said the provincial government was utilizing all resources to curb the spread of coronavirus, while health and PDMA teams had reached Taftan border to carry out screening of people entering Pakistan from Iran.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2020.